Defiant class
150 |speed = Warp 6 Warp 9.982 |armaments = 4 pulse phaser cannons 2 phaser arrays 2 variable-payload torpedo launchers|defenses = Deflector shields Ablative armor|auxiliary_craft = 2 Type 10 shuttlecraft 4 shuttlepods|caption2 = Emblem of the Defiant Class Development Project|image2 = Defiant-patch.jpg|designation = Defiant-class}}The Defiant-class was a type of tactical escort starship deployed by Starfleet in the late 24th century and was the first Starfleet vessel created purely for warfare in over a century. History The Defiant-class was one of many new Starfleet classes developed in response to the Borg threat following Starfleet's tragic losses in the Battle of Wolf 359. The starship was developed at the Antares Ship Yards and was the first vessel Starfleet had developed purely as a warship since the . However, the expected Borg invasion never materialised and the prototype [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Defiant_(NX-74205)_(I) USS Defiant] spent much of its time in space dock due to design flaws. Rising hostilities with the Dominion threw the USS Defiant into active service and it was assigned to Deep Space 9 in 2371. Numerous adjustments and upgrades were made to the starship, including being fitted with a Romulan cloaking device, to defend the station from Dominion attack and conduct undercover operations in the Gamma Quadrant. The success of the USS Defiant gave new life to the class. Additional vessels were ordered, implementing the changes made to the class's namesake. As other Defiant-class starships left the shipyards they were placed in service defending Federation space and in combat in the Dominion War. In the 2380s, Starfleet began moving away from combat starships and towards exploration and multi-purpose designs. Though active Defiant-class vessels were kept in service, the design was officially retired. This decision was reversed a decade later as tensions rose between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. With the outbreak of the Last Federation-Klingon War, the Defiant-class received new life. Technical information Subclasses Four subclasses of the Defiant-class were developed in the late 24th and early 25th centuries: the Vigilant, Gallant, São Paolo, and Valiant. Vigilant Commissioned in 2394, the Vigilant-subclass was just as powerful and nimble as the standard Defiant-class, although it was larger in size and featured an updated nacelle design. The starship was also equipped with an adaptable, multipurpose space to counterbalance the straight warship design of the Defiant. Gallant Launched in response to the fallout from the Khitomer Accords in 2399, the Gallant subclass was a unique take on the standard Defiant. The unique nose of the Defiant-class was removed and weapon pods were placed on struts protruding from underneath the starship. São Paolo The São Paolo variant was an early 25th century take on the famed Defiant-''class. It had exposed, forward-swept warp nacelles and a more faceted main deflector. It was also constructed using the white hull coloring favored by Starfleet engineers for refit vessels of the time. The vessel was also developed to carry quad phaser cannons. This fearsome energy weapon was a specialized cannon that drew power from the ship's engines to deal massive damage to an enemy. ''Valiant Carrying more armor and a larger torpedo payload, the Valiant-subclass was designed to combat the threats encountered by Starfleet in the 25th century. The vessel had a stubbier nose and longer engine struts than its parent Defiant-class. It combined many of the elements of the other subclasses and variant to become the premiere warship fielded by Starfleet at the time. Ships commissioned * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Belfast_(NCC-75633-C) USS Belfast] (NCC-75633-C) * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Defiant_(NX-74205)_(I) USS Defiant] (NX-74205), class prototype * [https://sto.gamepedia.com/U.S.S._Gallant USS Gallant] (NX-93881), subclass prototype * (NCC-96039), São Paolo-subclass * (NCC-92945) * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Nike USS Nike] (NCC-93888), São Paolo-subclass * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Defiant_(NX-74205)_(II) USS São Paulo] (NCC-75633), renamed Defiant * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Sao_Paulo_(NX-74205-A) USS São Paolo] (NCC-75633-A), subclass prototype * [http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Valiant_(NCC-74210) USS Valiant] (NCC-74210) * USS Valiant (NCC-74210-A), subclass prototype * [https://sto.gamepedia.com/U.S.S._Vigilant USS Vigilant] (NCC-94794), subclass prototype Gallery Defiant class MSD.jpg|''Defiant''-class Master Systems Display São_Paolo_firing_cannons.jpg|''São Paolo'' variant firing its quad phaser cannons Valiant_class_(USS_Fox).jpg|The Valiant-subclass Appendices Connections External links * Vigilant Class at the Star Trek Online Official Site (archived webpage) References Category:Starship classes Category:Federation starship classes Category:Defiant class starships